Method and means for forming pile fabric



Sept. 20, 1949. w. N. MOORE ,6

. METHOD AND MEANS FOR FORMING PILE FABRIC Original Filed Feb. 24, 1948 Sheets-Sheet l- N m m] Ihwentor Sept. 20, 1949. w. N. MOORE METHOD AND MEANS FOR FORMING FILE FABRIC Original Filed Feb. 24, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ihwentor Sept. 20, 1949. w. N. MOORE METHOD AND MEANS FOR FORMING FILE FABRIC Original Filed Feb. 24, 1948 4 Shee'ts-Sheet 3 3nbentor W. N. MOORE METHOD AND MEANS FORMING FILE FABRIC Sept. 20', 1949.

OriginaI Filed Feb. 24, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I 3nventot 4 7am mmk Patented Sept. 20, 1949 METHOD AND MEANS FOR FORliflNG PILE FABRIC William Neal Moore, Tilton, Ga., assignor to Russell-Lacey Manufacturing Company Incorporated, a corporation of Georgia Original application February 24, 1948, Serial No. 10,208. Divided and this application January 24, 1949, Serial No. 72,408

14 Claims.

This invention relates to pile fabrics, and in particular to that class of pile fabrics commonly known as chenille, in which a pile yarn is insorted in a fabric base or backing to form a pile or tufting on the fabric base. This is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 10,208, filed February 24, 1948.

Pile fabrics of this sort have heretofore generally been formed by carrying the pile yarn through the fabric base at successively spaced points to form a series of loops on one face of the fabric, which loops may be allowed to remain as such, or be cut to provide chenille ends. In a pile fabric formed in this manner, a pile is provided on only one face of the fabric base, the pile yarn extending on the reverse face of the fabric base in the nature of stitches between the successive points of insertion of the pile yarn so that this reverse face is bare and is accordingly not suitable for exposure to View during use of the fabric.

According to the present invention, a pile fabric of the chenille type is provided in which a pile is formed on both faces of the fabric base or backing so that it is reversible, and may be used with either face exposed. The pile fabric of the present invention comprises a fabric base or backing such as has heretofore been used in forming similar fabrics, but differs over these prior fabrics in that pile tufts are inserted in the fabric base to extend from both of its faces, these pile tufts being formed by doubled strands of pile yarn cut to form chenille ends on at least one face of the fabric base.

The reversible pile fabric formed according to the present invention is novel not only in the provision of a pile on both of its faces, but also in the fact that the manner in which it is formed provides a luxuriant body or hand, and corresponding appearance characteristics, which are unique in fabrics of this sort. Moreover, this reversible pile fabric may be formed in accordance with the present invention with only a Slight increase over the amount of material required by previous methods for forming the usual single face chenille fabrics.

Briefly stated, the method employed according to the present invention for forming this reversible pile fabric comprises inserting a doubled portion of a continuous pile yarn in the fabric base, thereb disposing a loop of the pile yarn extending from one face of the fabric base, training the pile yarn to form a loop extending from the other face of the fabric base while inserting a succeeding doubled portion of the pile yarn vention;

in the fabric base, and then cutting at least one of these loops to form chenille ends. If it is desired to cut the loops on only one face, the above mentioned trained loops are cut, which provides a pile of chenille ends on one face of the fabric, and a pile of loops on the other face. It is possible, however, to cut the loops on both faces of the fabric to form a pile of chenille ends on each face, or the fabric base may be reversed during the process of manufacture to provide an alternating pile pattern of chenille ends and loops, as described more in detail below.

My reversible pile fabric and the means and method by which it is formed according to the present invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a machine arranged according to the present invention for forming the reversible pile fabric;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken substantially at the line 22 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken substantially at the line 33 in Fig. l;

Figs. 4, 5, and 6, inclusive, are fragmentary details corresponding generally to Fig. 3, and illustrating further the operating relation of the pile forming elements of the machine;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of one face of a reversible pile fabric formed according to the present in- Fig. 8 is an nlarged diagrammatic section of the reversible pile fabric shown in Fig. 7; and,

Figs. 9 and 10 are similar enlarged diagrammatic sections illustrating modified forms of the reversible pile fabric.

- a drive shaft 29 is journaled. The drive shaft 29 carries the usual hand wheel 30 and drive pulley 3| at its rear end, and is arranged at its forward end to reciprocate the usual needle bar 32 through a crank mechanism (not shown), the needle bar 32 being fitted at its lower end with a needle 33. The sewing machine head 25 is further fitted with a presser foot 34' and fabric feeding mechanism 35 in the usual manner. All of the foregoing elements are common in sewin machine mechanisms generally, and further detailed description is not believed necessary here.

The additional operating elements provided for forming th reversible pile fabric of the present invention are actuated through countershafts 3t and 37 mounted on the sewing machine head 25. The countershaft 36' is disposed above the base portion 26 in bearing brackets 38 and 39 carried on the supporting arm structure 28. This countershaft 36 is actuated from the drive shaft 2% through an eccentric 4!! by a linkmember l-l extending from the eccentric 40 to a rocker arm:42? carried on the countershaft 36, so that an oscillating motion is imparted to the countersh'aft'36 from the drive shaft 29 during operation of the machine.

The countershaft 31 is arrangedbelow the base:

portion 25 and is mounted in bearing brackets:

43 and 44 carried by the base portion 26. A

chain and sprocket drive 45 provides a. driving.

connection for the countershaft 31 from the drive shaft 29, so that this countershaft 31 is rotated upon rotation of the drive shaft 29 during operation of the machine.

The countershaft 37 extends forwardly through the bearing bracket M to carry a crank plate 56 from which a crank arm 57 extends to a rocker arm 48' carried on a shaft 39" extending between bearing bracket 44 and a front bearing bracket 50. This shaft 49' also carries a hook member i which is disposed for oscillation across the path of movement of the needle 33 by the above described' connections from the crank plate 55, so that the hook member 5| is adapted for receiving loops from the needle33, as described more in detail below. A second hook member 52, and a third hook member 53, are similarly arranged to receive these loops in turn from the first hook member 5i for a purpose which is also described further below. The hook'm'embersfiiand' 53' are mounted on shafts 54 and 55; both of which are carried in the bearing brackets i l and 55, and extend rearwardly to carry rocker arms 55 and El which extend to follow eccentrics 58 and 5&3 arranged on the countershaft' 3'l'to impart the necessary oscillating motion to the shafts 5% and and in turn to the hook members 52 and 53.

The countershaft 36"extends forwardly through the bearing bracket 39 to carry an arm efi'which is formed at its extending end with a finger portion 53! disposed transversely of thepath of'move ment of the needle 33. This finger portion ti ter minates in a hook 62 and its top edge is sharpened at 53 to provide a cutting edge. A cutting blade 64 is associated with-this finger portion 6i of the arm Bil. The cutting blade at is carried in a transverse arm 65 moun ed for adjustment by means of a set screw 55 in a shaft 81, so that it may be positioned with suitable sidewise pressure against the finger portion 55. The shaft 6? is disposed parallel With the countershaft 3S b ing bracket 88 carried on the supporting a. structure 28, and is connected to the counters-l it 36'through rocker arms 59 and it, and compensat ing link H, to receive the oscillating motion of countershaft 35 for operation of the cutting blade M in relation to the cutting edge 63 formed on the finger portion 5! of arm member 63.

The operation of the above described mecha nism for forming the reversible pilefabric of the present invention is illustrated in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 of the drawing. During operation of the ma chine, the. needle 33 threaded with a suitable pile. yarn i2 is reciprocated'to carry successive doubled portions of the pile yarn 72. through a fabric-base 13- positioned on the work support 2?, thereby 4. forming a series of loops 14 of the pile yarn 12 extending from the under face of the fabric base 13. As each loop M is formed in this manner, the hook member 5i oscillates across the path of movement of the needle 33 and receives the loop i l from the needle 33. Upon withdrawalpf the needle 33- for a succeeding loop-forming stroke, the second hook member 52 oscillates to receive the loo 74 from the first hook member 5!, and thus-free this hook member 5i so that it is availableto receive the next loop i i formed by the needle 33. The third hook member 53 in turn receives the'loop l'flfrom the second hook member 52 in asimilar; manner, so that each loop 14 is continuously engaged by the hook members 5|, 52;and Stand isthus held against withdrawal untila succeeding: doubled portion of the pile yarn Efis' carried'through the fabric base 13 to form aisucceeding loop 74.

During the withdrawal or recovery of the needie 33 for each succeeding loop-forming stroke, the arm fill carrying. the finger portion 65 oscillates so that thisfinger portiorrfil traverses'the path of movement of' the needle 33; andpasses' between the pile yarn 12 and the. needle? 33, so that the yarn "i2 is trainedover thisifingerportion iii to form a loop 75 extending. from the upper face of the fabric base 13 as each succeeding-doubled portion of the yarn 12' is'carriedthrough the fabric base 13 by theneedle 335 As' previously mentioned, the upperedge 63 ofthe'finger'p'ortion El is sharpened to'form' a cutting; edge, an'd as the loops 75 are successivelytrained over the finger portion 6 l, theyworkbackwardly'to'a point within the reach of theassociated cutting blade 6 which oscillates to provide a" scissorsaction with the cutting edge on the finger portion 6! to cut the trainedloops l5 and-thereby form chenille ends l6 extending from the upper face of.

the fabric base 73. It will' be understood that with the presser foot 34 lowered the fabric feeding mechanism 35 will feed the fabric base "53" through themachine so that a'seri'es of-the loops l l andchenille ends iiimay be formed in a row entirely across the fabric base 13', and that by repeating this operation, the entire surface of both faces of the fabric-base 73 can be coveredwith a pile of loops T4 or chenille-ends'le'as de: sired.

A reversible fabric formed in this manner is shown in Fig. '7 of the drawing; InFig; 7 thepilefabric is shown in aform suitable for use-as a rug, and the construction illustrated-is character'- ized by a pattern of loops M and-a supplementary pattern of chenille ends 16" on each face of the rug. This feature of the construction shown in Fig. '7 is further illustrated in- Fig. 8; in which the doubled portions of the yarn 12 forming the pile tufts ll are shown inserted in one portion '58 of the fabric base 73 with the loops-i l disposed downwardly to form a pattern of loops on the under face of the fabric base 13 as'seen in' Figs. '7 and 8. The other pile tufts T! are inserted in the remaining portion 79 of the fabric base 13'. with the loops M extending upwardly to form a complementary pattern of loops i l on. the upper: face of the fabric base 73, and the chenille ends it at the other end of the pile tufts T! are correspondingly disposed to form'supplementary patterns on each face of the fabric base 131. The.

pile pattern formed in this manner may bevaried further by adjusting the spacingjof'thepile form.- ing elements of the. machine of the. present in.- vention so that the chenille ends. [6. are. formed with a different elevation or extent. fromthefabri-c base 13 than the loops 14, as illustrated best in Fig. 8. Variations of this sort may be used to advantage to accentuate the contrast in the alternating pile pattern described above.

A reversible pile fabric incorporating a pattern of the type illustrated in Figs. '7 and 8 may be formed on the machine described above without modification simply by alternately turning the fabric base 13 over before feeding it to the machine so that the pile tufts ll are inserted in the proper direction to obtain the pattern desired. Also, in forming reversible pile fabrics with a pattern of this sort, it is advantageous in commercial production to arrange the pile-forming elements in multiples so that a suflicient number of rows of the pile tufts H to cover the portions 18 or 19 of the fabric base 13 may be inserted at one time. As is apparent from the foregoing disclosure, this may be done by merely mounting in place of the single needle 33 a plurality of needles (not shown) on the needle bar 32 so that they are disposed in spaced relation longitudinally with respect to the work support 21, and duplicating the above described arrangement of the transverse finger t and cutting blade 54, and the oscillating hook members 5|, 52 and 53, in correspondence. It will also be apparent that a multiple arrangement of the pile-forming elements may generally be used to advantage with any other pattern adopted for pile fabrics formed according to the present invention.

In Fig. 9, a modified arrangement of a reversible pile fabric formed according to the present invention is illustrated in which the pile tufts H are all inserted in one direction, so that the fabric base I3 is provided with a pile of loops 14 on one face and a pile of chenille ends 16 on the other face. In Fig. a further modification is shown in which the pile tufts 11 are cut at both ends to form chenille ends, so that in this case both faces of the fabric base 13 are provided with a pile of chenille ends. In forming a reversible pile fabric as shown in Fig. 10, the pile forming elements of the machine described above are modified only by replacing the oscillating hook members 5|, 52 and 53 with a transverse finger and cutting blade operating exactly like the previously described finger BI and cutting blade 64 to receive the loops M and cut them to form chenille ends.

The present invention accordingly allows selection among a variety of patterns in forming the reversible pile fabrics as described above, and the manner in which a pile is provided on both faces of the fabric base results in exceptional body and substance in the fabric no matter which pattern is used. Moreover all of the advantages and novel features of the present invention may be obtained with the same fabric-forming material heretofore commonly employed in forming chenille fabrics, and, as previously noted, the method of the present invention for forming the reversible pile fabric requires only a slight increase over the amount of material used by previous methods for forming single face chenille fabrics.

I claim:

1. The method of manufacturing a reversible pile fabric which comprises inserting a doubled portion of a continuous pile yarn in a fabric base, thereby disposing a loop of said yarn extending from one face of said fabric base, training said yarn to form a loop extending from the other face of said fabric base while inserting a succeeding 6 doubled portion of said yarn in said fabric base, and cutting at least one of said loops to form chenille ends.

2. The method of manufacturing a reversible pile fabric which comprises inserting a doubled' portion of a continuous pile yarn in a fabric base, thereby disposing a loop of said yarn extending from one face of said fabric base, temporarily holding said loop against withdrawal until a succeeding doubled portion of said yarn is inserted in said fabric base, training said yarn to form a loop extending from the other face of said fabric base while inserting a succeeding doubled portion of said yarn in said fabric base, and cutting said trained loop to form chenille ends.

3. The method of manufacturing a reversible pile fabric which comprises progressively inserting doubled portions of a continuous pile in a fabric base, thereby disposing a pile of loops of said yarn extending from one face of said fabric base, temporarily holding each loop against withdrawal until a succeeding doubled portion of said yarn is inserted in said fabric base, training said yarn to form a loop extending from the other face of said fabric base while inserting each succeeding doubled portion of said yarn in said base fabric, and cutting said trained loops, thereby forming a pile of chenille ends extending from the other face of said fabric base.

i. The method of manufacturing a reversible pile fabric as defined in claim 3 and further characterized in that certain of the doubled portions of said continuous pile yarn are inserted in a portion of said fabric base in one direction to form a pattern of loops on one face of said fabric base, and the other doubled portions of said yarn are inserted in the remaining portion of said fabric base in the opposite direction to form a complementary pattern of loops on the other face of said fabric base, whereby the pile on each face of said fabric base comprises a pattern of loops and a supplementary pattern of chenille ends.

5. A machine of the character described for forming reversible pile fabrics comprising a reciprocating needle for inserting successive doubled portions of a continuous pile yarn in a fabric base, thereby forming loops of said yarn extending from one face of said fabric base, means for training said yarn to form a loop extending from the other face of said fabric base as each succeeding doubled portion of said yarn is inserted in the fabric base, and means for cutting the loops extending from at least one of said faces and thereby form chenille ends.

6. A machine of the character described for forming reversible pile fabrics comprising a reciprocating needle for carrying successive doubled portions of a continuous pile yarn through a fabric base, thereby forming a pile of loops extending from one face of said fabric base, a reciprocating finger disposed transversely with respect to said needle for trainin said yarn to form a loop extending from the other face of said fabric base as each succeeding doubled portion of said yarn is carried through said fabric base by said needle, and a cutting blade associated with said finger for cutting said trained loops, thereby forming a pile of chenille ends extending from the other face of said fabric base.

'7. A machine of the character described for forming reversible pile fabrics comprising a work support, a reciprocating needle for carrying successive doubled portions of a continuous pile yarn through a fabric base positioned on said Work support, thereby forming a pile of loops extending from the under face of said fabric base, means for training said yarn to form a loop. extending from the upper face of said fabric as each succeeding double portion of said yarn is carried through said fabric base, and means for cutting said trained loops, thereby forming a pile of chenille ends extending from the upper face of said fabric base.

8. A machine of the character described for forming reversible pile fabrics comprising a work support, a reciprocating needle for carrying successive doubled portions of'a continuous pile yarn through a fabric base positioned on said work support, thereby forming a pile of loops extending from the under face of said fabric base, means for holding said loops against withdrawal until a succeeding doubled portion of said yarn is carried through said fabric base, means for training said yarn to form a loop extending from the upper face of said fabric base as each succeeding doubled portion of said yarn is carried through said fabric base, and means for cutting said trained loops, thereby forming a pile of chenille ends extending from the upper face of said fabric base.

9. A machine of the character described for forming reversible pile fabrics comprising a worlz support, a reciprocating needle for carrying successive doubled portions of a continuous pile yarn through a fabric base positioned on said work support, thereby forming a pile of loops extending from the under face of said fabric base, an oscillating hook member disposed below said work support for receiving loops from said needle, a second oscillating hook member for receiving loops from said first hook member, and a third oscillating hook member for receiving loops from said second hook, whereby said loops extending from the under face of said fabric base are against withdrawal until a succeeding doubled portion of said yarn is carried through said fabric base, a reciprocating finger disposed above said work support transversely with respect to said needle for training said yarn to form a 100p extending from the upper face of said fabric base as each succeeding doubled portion of said yarn is carried through said fabric base by said needle, and a cutting blade associated with said finger for cutting said trained loops, thereby forming a pile of chenille ends extending from the upper face of said fabric base.

10. In a tufting machine, a work support to receive fabric thereon, a head arranged above the work support, work feed means including a feed dog arranged near the work support to feed the fabric in one direction, an upper reciprocatory looper arranged above the work support and facing in a direction opposite to the line of work feed, a lower reciprocatory looper arranged beneath the work support and facing in a direction opposite to the line of work feed, a vertical reciprocatory needle bar for moving a needle in a fixed path of travel to points above and below the work support, drive means connected with the upper looper and operatively driven in timed relation with respect to the movement of the needle to move the upper looper across the path of travel of the needle when the needle is in the raised position to enter the upper loop, drive means connected with the lower looper and operatively driven in timed relation with respect to the move ment of the needle to move the lower looper across the path of travel of the needle when the needle is in the lowered position to enter thelower loop,

means including a blade to sever the loops upon the upper looper when such upper looper moves from the path of travel of the needle, and means including a blade to sever the loops upon the lower looper when the looper moves from the path of travel of the needle.

11. In a tufting machine, a work support to receive fabric thereon, a head arranged above the work support, work feed means including a feed dog arranged near the work support to feed the fabric in one direction, an upper reciprocatory looper arranged above the work support and moving in a direction longitudinally of the line of work feed, a lower reciprocatory looper arranged beneath the work support and movable in a direction longitudinally of the line of work feed, a vertical reciprocatory needle bar for moving a needle to points above and below the work support, drive means connected with the upper looper and operatively driven in timed relation with respect to the movement of the needle to move the upper looper toward the needle when the needle is in the raised position to enter the upper p, drive means connected with the lower looper and operatively driven in timed relation with respect to the movement of the needle to move the lower looper toward the needle when the needle is in the lowered position to enter the lower loop, and means to sever the loops upon at least one looper including a blade.

12. In a tufting machine, a work support to receive fabric thereon, a head arranged above the work support, work feed means including a, feed dog arranged near the work support to feed the fabric in one direction, an upper pivoted looper arranged above the work support for movement toward and from the needle, a lower pivoted looper arranged beneath the work support and movable toward and from the needle, a vertical reciprocatory needle bar for moving a needle to points above and below the work support, drive means connected with the upper pivoted looper and operatively driven in timed relation with respect to the movement of the needle to move the upper looper toward the needle when the needle is in the raised position to enter the upper loop, drive means connected with the lower looper and operatively driven in timed relation with respect to the movement of the needle to move the lower looper toward the needle when the needle is in the lowered position to enter the lower looper, and means including blade to sever the loops upon one looper.

13. In a tufting machine, a work support to receive fabric thereon, a head arranged above the work support, work feed means including a feed dog arranged near the work support to feed the fabric, an upper reciprocatory looper arranged near and above the work support, a lower reciprocatory looper arranged near and beneath the work support, an upstanding reciprocatory needle bar for carrying'a needle and to move the eye of the needle to points above and below the work support, driving means connected with the reciprocatory needle bar to operate the same in timed order, driving means connected with the upper looper and timed in operation with respect to the movement of the needle bar to move the upper looper into the upper loop when the needle is in the raised position, driving means connected with the lower looper and timed in operation with respect to the movement of the needle bar to move the lower looper into the lower loop when the needle is in the lowered position,

14. In a tufting machine, a work support to receive fabric thereon, a head arranged above the work support, work feed means including a feed dog arranged near the work support to feed the fabric, an upper reciprocatory looper arranged near and above the work support and movable longitudinally of the line of work feed, a lower reciprocatory looper arranged near and beneath the work support and movable longitudinally of the line of feed, an upstanding reciprocatory needle bar mounted upon the head for carrying a needle having an eye, driving means connected with the reciprocatory needle bar and timed in operation to alternately raise the needle so that its 10 eye will be substantially above the bill of the upper looper and to lower the needle so that its eye will be substantially below the bill of the lower looper, driving means connected with the upper looper and timed in operation with respect to the needle bar to move the upper looper into the upper loop when the needle is in the raised position, and driving means connected with the lower looper and timed in operation with respect to the movement of the needle bar to move the lower looper into the lower loop when the needle is in the lowered position.

WILLIAM NEAL MOORE.

No references cited. 

